The present invention relates to mail processing techniques, and more particularly, but not exclusively, relates to sorting mail based on vocal input of address information.
Today""s mail may often be processed with automated optical character reading procedures. As a result, manual entry of address data may frequently be avoided. However, on occasion, some mail pieces, such as those with hand-written, incomplete, or improperly arranged addresses, cannot be completely processed using an automated procedure. Also, automated processing can be particularly troublesome for brochures, catalogs, and other mail that bears a significant amount of non-address writing or graphics. In these instances, an operator typically types in address data with a keyboard.
Depending on the capabilities of the automated equipment and the mail piece address quality, multiple operators may be desired to maintain a given mail processing speed. Moreover, because mail handling equipment may be noisy and visually distracting, it is sometimes desirable to remotely locate operators relative to such equipment. Even so, limits on an operator""s ability to rapidly, yet accurately key-in address data remains. In fact, the availability of labor with high-speed typing skills in general can impose a limit on the effectiveness of mail processing systems.
Thus, there is a demand for advancements in mail processing technology to address such limits and/or fulfill other mail processing needs.
One form of the present invention is a unique mail processing system. Other forms include unique systems and methods for sorting mail. As used herein, xe2x80x9cmailxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cmail piecexe2x80x9d includes one or more items entrusted with a postal service or private delivery organization for transport to a designated destination.
In a further form of the present invention, a technique for mail processing includes vocal entry of address information by an operator in response to viewing an image of at least a portion of a mail piece.
In another form, two different parts of a mail piece address are each vocally input to a mail processing system. A character representation for one of the parts is determined with the system and used to reduce the number of options for a character representation for the other part based on a predefined relationship between the two parts. As used herein, a xe2x80x9ccharacter representationxe2x80x9d includes any datum or signal received by, transmitted from, or contained within a machine, computer, processor, memory, or other device that represents one or more written characters of any language.
In still another form of the present invention, a mail processing technique includes fading-out or fading-in a visual display of a mail piece image over a time interval. This image is provided for operator input with a keyboard, voice input device, or other apparatus as would occur to one skilled in the art.
In yet another form, multiple images each corresponding to a different mail piece are uniquely displayed at the same time for operator input. Removal and replacement of one or more of these images may be timed in accordance with this input.
A further form includes utilizing a mail sorter to sort several mail pieces with an optical character recognition routine and determining one or more other mail pieces are unsortable with this routine. Images for these unsortable mail pieces are sent to a remote location having one or more operator input stations arranged to vocally input address information needed to sort the mail pieces determined to be unsortable with the optical character recognition routine.
In yet a further form of the present invention, a display device defines a first region to display one or more mail piece images and a second region to define one or more visual indicators in different or contrasting colors. These indicators may include prompts or confirmation indications corresponding to operator input of information from the one or more mail piece images.
Still a further form includes displaying a first mail piece image, initiating vocal entry of information determined by viewing the first mail piece image, and timing presentation of a second mail piece image relative to this initial vocal input for the first mail piece image. Additionally or alternatively, timing of the removal of the first mail piece image may be performed relative to the initial input. Optionally, this timing scheme may define a period during which the first image may be recalled by the operator in case of error. Either the first image, the second image, or both may be gradually faded-in or faded-out as part of the timing scheme. In still other forms, fading may not be utilized. In another variation, one or more timing parameters may be kept in a profile for each different operator.
In another form of the present invention, an image of a first object is displayed to an operator and information from it is entered into a processing system. Removal of the image is determined relative to the start time for entering this information. Alternatively or additionally, an image of a second object can be displayed to the operator as a function of this start time.
Other forms, embodiments, benefits, advantages, objects, aspects, and features of the present invention shall become apparent from the drawings and description contained herein.